The Innocent Shall Suffer
by Daughters of Gondor
Summary: Aragorn faces his guilt. Companion piece to Second Chance. Implied slash and mpreg.


**_A/N:_** Just a little one-shot I did because I was bored. Also, I think it's only fair that we show some points between Farothen's birth and Aragorn's reunion with Legolas where Aragorn isn't the victim. Legolas may have made the initial choice to wed his betrothed, but Aragorn is still the one who left and never informed Legolas of their son. Both of them are guilty for the situation, but so far, we've only really shown Legolas' guilt with these little one-shots. It just isn't fair.

The only true innocent in the whole thing is Farothen, and I just wanted to show that. Also, this kind of clears up the first scene in **_Chapter 14_** of ASCAL where Farothen is thinking about his first emotional reaction to seeing Legolas in the stables of Lorien for the first time in his life.

Regarding the title, it doesn't really have much to do with the story until the end, but I couldn't come up with anything better so it stays.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this latest little trip into the world in my head.

Becky

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**The Innocent Shall Suffer**

_TA 2992 March 1_

_Imladris_

With the coming of March it came time for Aragorn to leave Imladris and become Strider once again. His visits home would be rare and short, as usual, until October rolled around again and he settled back in for the winter.

It was a routine Farothen knew well, a routine he hated, yet had no choice but to accept. Five months out of each year he had his father every day, all day. The other seven he had to take a back seat to all of Middle Earth and the Dunedain. Aragorn's visits home would be restricted to a few days every one to two months, the longest being two weeks in June when he returned for Farothen's birthday.

Farothen sat on his ada's bed, watching as the man wandered around, packing whatever he needed for his months in exile with his rangers. He wanted to ask him to stay, but knew he couldn't. The Dunedain needed their Chieftain.

"When will you be back for a visit?"

Aragorn walked toward the bed carrying an extra outfit and his herb pouch, intending to put them in the pack lying beside Farothen, "I hope to return for a few days in April or May. If not then, definitely in June. No matter what, _faron nin_, I will be here for your birthday."

A small nod was the only reply and Aragorn sighed, sitting down by his son, "I know you miss me when I'm gone. I miss you too. Just give it a few more years. Learn your skills with a bow and sword well and, when you are ready, I will take you with me to join the Dunedain."

"I know," Farothen murmured, "But the days go so slowly. It seems so far away."

"Everything seems slow when you're young." Aragorn teased, trying to draw a smile from his son, "But when you get old like me life seems to fly by and you will long for the days when you were younger."

Another mere nod was all Aragorn received and he gave up. Farothen could be a broody little whelp when he wanted to be, a trait he got from the ranger, though said ranger insisted it was from Legolas.

Getting up to finish his packing Aragorn shook his head, "What do you want me to say, Farothen? You are simply too young to travel with me. There are dangers in the wild you are not ready to face."

A moment of silence passed as Farothen battled with himself over how he wanted to reply. Finally he threw caution to the wind and voiced his deepest wish.

"I want to meet my other father."

Aragorn's whole body tensed and he turned stiffly to face the boy, "What?"

Farothen sighed, "I want to meet my other father. Why haven't I? If I met him then I could stay with him while you are with your rangers."

"You know what you ask is impossible." Aragorn replied, "He..."

"Why?" Farothen demanded, "Why won't you let me meet him? What did he ever do that made you hate him?"

A sharp pain pierced Aragorn's heart, "I don't hate him, Farothen. Why would you think that?"

"You never even speak of him; no one here even knows his name. They all say the same thing...you won't tell them who he is."

"He and I parted on bad terms. Things were said that were hurtful and choices were made on both sides that...maybe...shouldn't have been made." Aragorn explained, "I loved him. I thought he loved me, but he made his choice...and it wasn't me."

"Nor me." Farothen whispered, his voice thick with unspoken hurt.

Aragorn wanted so bad to tell his son Legolas hadn't even known he was pregnant when they'd parted, he hadn't even known himself. Judging by the date of Farothen's birth, he'd most likely been conceived right around Aragorn and Legolas' 'break-up'.

Something stopped the ranger from speaking up, though. He longed to ease his son's pain by telling him Legolas would welcome him in with open arms if they were to meet now. The words simply wouldn't come, as if there was a wall holding them in.

"Forget I said anything, Ada." Farothen suddenly relented, his tone dejected, "I don't think I want to meet him anymore."

Another shaft of pain speared Aragorn's heart. He'd never wanted Farothen to hate Legolas. He truly believed, that if Legolas had been given a chance he would have proved to be a great father...he'd learned from Thranduil after all.

Yet, a deeper part of Aragorn rejoiced. A part of him that still harbored some resentment that Legolas had chosen another over him...duty over love...was glad that Farothen no longer wished to meet his sire. So long as Elven father and son never met Farothen was Aragorn's alone...and that's the way the bitter part of him liked it.

"I'm sorry, Farothen." Aragorn sighed, "But I just think it's better that you never meet him."

_'Better for Farothen,' _a little voice inside Aragorn's head challenged, _'Or you?'_

"Yeah," Farothen muttered as he climbed off the bed, "Elladan's waiting for me on the archery field. I better go. Don't leave without saying good-bye."

"I won't," Aragorn promised, "I'll come to you on my way out."

As the boy walked out, his shoulders slightly slumped, Aragorn sighed, guilt riding him hard.

_'Ai, Legolas, I fear I've done something terrible,'_ he thought, _'I've succeeded in making your son hate you.'_

Closing his eyes he slumped into a nearby easy chair, whispering aloud, "I'm sorry."

Whether he spoke to Legolas or Farothen he was unsure. Maybe both. All he knew was that his unresolved bitterness over a lost love had affected two other lives besides his own...and only one of those lives bore any guilt for the situation.

Farothen was innocent of any wrong-doing in his fathers' past together...but still he was suffering for it. And suffering the most.

**_END_**

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**_Elvish translation..._**

Faron nin. – My hunter. (The little nickname you may remember from the previous one-shots that Aragorn uses for Farothen.)

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